"Nay, indeed, there is no occasion; yet am I pleased to meet with one
who hath scholarship," replied the other. "Have you also a knowledge of
the Greek?"

"No, I pretend not to Greek."

"It is a pity that thou hast it not, for thou wouldst delight to
commune with the ancients. Esculapius hath these
words--'A_shol_der--offmotton--_acca_pon--pasti--venison,'--which I will
translate for thee--'We often find what we seek, when we least expect
it.' May it be so with you, my friend. Where have you been educated? and
what has been your profession?"

I thought I risked little in telling, so I replied, that I had been
brought up as a surgeon and apothecary, and had been educated at a
foundation school.

"'Tis well," replied he; "you have then commenced your studies in my
glorious profession; still, have you much to learn; years of toil, under
a great master, can only enable you to benefit mankind as I have done,
and years of hardship and of danger must be added thereunto, to afford
you the means. There are many hidden secrets. '_Ut sunt Divorum, Mars,
Bacchus, Apollo, Virorum_,'--many parts of the globe to traverse, '_Ut
Cato, Virgilius, fluviorum, ut Tibris, Orontes._' All these have I
visited, and many more. Even now do I journey to obtain more of my
invaluable medicine, gathered on the highest Andes, when the moon is in
her perigee. There I shall remain for months among the clouds, looking
down upon the great plain of Mexico, which shall appear no larger than
the head of a pin, where the voice of man is heard not. '_Vocito,
vocitas vocitavi_,' bending for months towards the earth. '_As in